Placements for Trainees in Settings Other Than Schools

1. Placements for Trainees in Settings Other Than Schools Andy Hamill a.hamill@chester.ac.uk

2. History • Creative Practitioners & the Creative Arts Theme on the B.Ed. • Creativity focus for year two • Second year placements in settings other than schools • This workshop will reflect on the outcomes

3. The Module The module aims to: • Enable trainees to gain practical experience of working with pupils in non-standard settings. • Enable trainees to relate to other adults in the children’s workforce and engage in activities which support the well being of the children

4. Outcomes • By the end of the module successful students will be able to demonstrate that they: • 3.Have a commitment to collaboration and co-operative working. • 4.Have a creative and constructively critical approach towards innovation, being prepared to adapt their practice where benefits and improvements are identified

5. Outcomes • By the end of the module successful students will be able to demonstrate that they: • 6.Know how to make effective personalised provision for those they teach, including those for whom English is an additional language or who have special educational needs or disabilities, and how to take practical account of diversity and promote equality and inclusion in their teaching. • 9.Work as a team member and identify opportunities for working with colleagues, sharing the development of effective practice with them.

6. Identifying placements • Flyers • Contacts • CP • Practitioners • Placement administration

7. urban farms, libraries, museums, city learning centres, special schools nature reserves. Learning Outside the Classroom MANIFESTO nature reserves and wild places; city farms and parks; field study centres; farms and the countryside; remote wild and adventurous places; heritage and cultural sites; zoos and botanic gardens; places of worship; museums, theatres, galleries and music venues; cultural, language and fieldwork visits abroad. (DfES 2006) The Opportunities

8. The Offers

9. Student Evaluation Feedback • N=54 • Consideration of identified outcomes • Analysis of open-ended questions

10. Evaluation Responses • To what extent were you able to make effective personalised provision for those you taught, including those for whom English is an additional language or who have special educational needs or disabilities? 15% Negative responses • To what extent were you able to demonstrate that you know how to identify and support children and young people whose progress, development or well-being is affected by changes or difficulties in their personal circumstances, and when to refer them to colleagues for specialist support? 15% Negative responses • The university provided appropriate professional and practical support the placement 20% Negative responses

11. Evaluation Responses • To what extent were you able to demonstrate your commitment to collaboration and co-operative working? 93% Agreement • To what extent were you able to work as a team member and identify opportunities for working with colleagues, sharing the development of effective practice with them? 87% Agreement • I took advantage of opportunities to learn about the roles of other adults in the children's workforce. 89% Agreement

12. Students’ views of Outcomes • By the end of the module successful students will be able to demonstrate that they: • 3.Have a commitment to collaboration and co-operative working 93%. • 4.Have a creative and constructively critical approach towards innovation, being prepared to adapt their practice where benefits and improvements are identified 71%

13. Students’ views of Outcomes • By the end of the module successful students will be able to demonstrate that they: • 6.Know how to make effective personalised provision for those they teach, including those for whom English is an additional language or who have special educational needs or disabilities, and how to take practical account of diversity and promote equality and inclusion in their teaching. 50% • 9.Work as a team member and identify opportunities for working with colleagues, sharing the development of effective practice with them.87%

14. What was the most valuable feature of the experience for you as a trainee teacher?

15. Professional Skills “… gained valuable experience in how to communicate effectively with children….. how differentiation can work effectively ……seeing all the resources which are available …..using new software and creating a resource …. got some great ideas for further practice…”

16. Professional Experience “….the opportunity to see how education works outside schools ….. to work with children with special educational needs and to observe how they develop not only academically but also emotionally and physically….the chance to observe and interact with children that had special needs or EAL… experience of children being in a different learning environment……able to experience a different type of teaching. …….went out on field trips …. an opportunity to work with young children in a setting other than a school ……to observe professionals working with children away from school, and how the relationship between pupils and staff differed as a result …. what the other services do and how they are interrelated….seeing education in a different context, in which children were enthusiastic and excited about learning…the opportunity to work with skilled and dedicated staff ….gained an insight into the earlier stages of development ……across a scope that would not be possible simply through being in one school setting….. to work with children who had a range of special and different professionals who play different roles in their care and education. ……working with children outside the classroom, learning how to adapt …”

17. Negative response “I did not feel that i got any relevant experience from this placement. As there were not many children there and even when there were they tended to want to see Santa and the animals, and it took a lot of talking to get them to take part in the activities”

18. Professional understanding/insight • “…how their teacher's approach to the lessons and attitude towards the children's learning had a huge impact …aware that there are services other than those in school to promote support for children with EAL and traveller children…understand how all these services combine to provide the best start for children …..seeing the close relationships between parents and the staff …. gain an insight into the difficulties some families have …..to gain a better understanding of how children can develop in an out of school setting …. realising how outdoor field centres benefit a child’s learning…see how museums are run, and the services that they provide to schools… have made contacts ….

19. Professional understanding/insight • “…. how extended services work together effectively …. to reflect and adapt my teaching and presentation style to suit the needs of different schools… how it isn't all about being a teacher… to talk not as their teacher…the creative ideas i got …. my personal knowledge and understanding as well as the professional links….that being out of a school setting is better for some pupils as they show completely different behaviour......constantly working outside of my comfort zone enabled me to become confident in working with others…to work with different professionals and see how they can affect children's lives….”

20. How would you justify the inclusion of this experience in a teacher training programme?

21. Professional learning “…. adds a lot to the teacher training programme…. to see different types of teaching….Developing ICT skills …… to have a greater understanding of the barriers that EAL children face and how I can help overcome them ….great resources and ideas to enhance these children’s learning… every trainee teacher should have this opportunity ….. that education does not only happen when teachers teach but that there are plenty more opportunities .. the ideas it gave me for teaching history topics was valuable…the different skills and experiences which I have gained are unbelievable …..my particular placement can be highly recommended…”

22. Negative “… the time would be more beneficial if it was spent within our age range…I feel that I only gained one positive thing from this placement and that is that I now recognise that out of a school setting pupils’ behaviour can change completely ….more time needs to go into getting better contacts …. I would have gained much better and more worthwhile experience and knowledge in a primary school …. it is unfair that the range of placements were so vast as some have benefited far more than others…Not only was this an enjoyable experience, but the experience I gained was so valuable! However, I feel 2 weeks would have been a more practical and sufficient time…”

23. Environment/context “…got to see different environments which include education. …see how children act and behave in different settings…experience how children learn outside a classroom environment…. working behind the teaching looking at how to improve the children’s learning …it encourages teachers to think outside of the classroom and outside of their normal sphere of thinking….

24. Environment/context “…. understand the similarities and differences between SEN and mainstream schools… experience a different setting that is related and linked with schools ….gain an understanding of how education works in other settings rather than just schools… helps students to understand what experience a child may have had before attending school and how this and their backgrounds can affect their well being and development…”

25. Transprofessional learning • “… to understand the roles that different people can take when educating children … a real insight into the workings of other professionals …to see how important the way practitioners communicate and network with each other is….. to see how other organisations and people influence and support children’s learning….. also provides the chance to see if you really want to be a teacher, …..to see how other professionals can make a contribution to children's lives, …

26. Transprofessional learning • “….. to see how integrated services can work together for the welfare of a child and his or her family……to see what other children’s professionals do, …. how people with differing roles within an organisation can all contribute to the development and well being of the children… insight to other professionals that work with children… to work with a wide range of professionals increases confidence and self esteem in the trainee and also enables them to understand and appreciate how all services combine to provide the best start for children…”

27. Summary • Positive • Equality • Mentor training - ‘mentee’ training • More time needs to go into getting better contacts • Especially EAL/SEN/ Disability/Inclusion • Life - changing …Career changing!